Paul Eugéne Louis Deschanel

Deschanel, Paul Eugéne Louis (pôl ûzhĕnˈ lwē dāshänĕlˈ) [key], 1855–1922, president of the French republic (1920); son of Émile Deschanel. A member of the chamber of deputies from 1885 and several times its president, he was chosen over Georges Clemenceau to succeed Raymond Poincaré as president of France. Ill health soon forced his resignation, and he was succeeded by Alexandre Millerand. Deschanel wrote many political works, notably Gambetta (1920) and La Question sociale (1898).